What if I told you business courses, such as the Babson College Entrepreneurship program, are viable options to buttress your idea against possible failures.

Would you reconsider your choice?

The Entrepreneurship Problem

Colleges around the world are facing a major problem.

With the opportunities afforded by digital technology, more and more middle and high school students just like you are starting their own businesses.

And the more successful your venture becomes, the more likely you are not to apply to college or to drop out soon after.

Not to mention, you probably think that your entrepreneurial mind won't benefit from traditional classroom settings.

Colleges are quickly realising that if they want to stay relevant in this new day and age, they must offer the right courses and provide the right support to help you achieve your entrepreneurial goals.

Why The US?

The US college system is more advantageous for entrepreneurs than almost any other in the world.

That’s not to say that the US has more students interested in starting their own businesses, but there are a number of factors that make US universities better positioned to support the entrepreneurial spirit.

They include:

1. Funding

2. Course Flexiblity

3. International Students

4. Risk Tolerance

Funding

First and foremost, US colleges simply have more money to play with.

And this comes in handy, because it takes a bit of spending to attract and nurture the best entrepreneurial talent.

Two of the best ways are creative courses and business competitions.

The fact that there is money and support available to help get your business idea off the ground surely makes the idea of university more appealing?

For example, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) hosts a business plan competition every year that gives out more than $350,000 USD in cash and prizes to students with the best ideas.

Universities around the US host these types of competitions to encourage students to start their own businesses.

Colleges also use their large bank accounts to fund new and exciting entrepreneurial courses.

In fact, over half of the colleges in the US have at least one course about entrepreneurship.

Shocking, right?

These courses cover everything from new technology ventures to law for the entrepreneur to building design prototypes, and so much more.

US colleges want to help you with every aspect of your venture and, most importantly, they have the funds to do so.

Course Flexibility

Unlike other universities around the world, you don’t need to know what you are going to study and ultimately what field you are going to work in before you go to uni in the US.

Quite the opposite actually.

Due to US universities’ willingness to let you explore, you have a lot of flexibility in what courses you take, what clubs you join, and what you do with your free time.

For example, most US colleges will allow you to major in economics and minor in entrepreneurship, or major in art, minor in physics, and take a few entrepreneurship courses on the side.

Your options are pretty much unlimited!

Cross-subject studies can help you think more creatively and apply the knowledge you gain from multiple different fields to your future business.

Not to mention, real innovation comes from connecting fields that have never been connected before. So the more you learn about different subjects, the more innovative your future business may be.

That being said, you don’t need to be an expert in every subject! The best startups form from a variety of experts in different fields with different backgrounds who can all contribute a different piece of the puzzle to the business.

Learn about everything but find the piece of the puzzle you are most passionate about and run with it.

International Students

At the beginning of this blog I told you that US universities aren’t great at fostering an entrepreneurial culture simply because American students are more interested in startups.

1. Babson College: Babson Park, Massachusetts

Way before Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat were founded, Babson was offering entrepreneurship courses and leading their students to success.

Babson has multiple “real world” entrepreneurship courses that will help you find your footing in the startup world.

In your first year at Babson, you’ll take a course called “Foundations of Management and Entrepreneurship”, that’ll not only expose you to business fundamentals but will require you to start a business with a group of classmates. The university even loans each group a sum of money to get their business of the ground.

By the way, Babson also has one of the highest college ROIs (return on investment) in the country.

4. University of Michigan – Ann Arbor: Ann Arbor, Michigan

Michigan offers three types of entrepreneurship courses:

Engagement courses
Skill-building courses
Practicum courses
Each of these courses helps you through different points of your journey, whether it be learning about the importance of entrepreneurship in today's world, learning real world skills, or launching your own company – Michigan’s got you covered.

The university encourages you to “be the difference” and truly make a change in your community through either a minor in entrepreneurship or a certification program.

6. Baylor University: Waco, Texas

This community is home to likeminded entrepreneurial students (who will probably be ecstatic to start a company with you), and you'll receive extra assistance from your professors to get your business off the ground.

Chances are, you’ll probably fit in there. Who knows, your future co-founders could be just down the hall!

Final Thoughts

However, can going to university in the US help you start a great business? Yes.

Keep in mind that you do not have to have an idea of what kind of business you want to start before going to college in the US.

All you need is a passion for business and an entrepreneurial mindset and your college will help you with the rest.

Once you come up with an idea, be persistent and apply the lessons you learn in your classes to your business.

Plus, students who attend US universities get more than just a degree. Their large alumni networks give you an immediate connection to some of the brightest people in the world, so don’t be afraid to tap into your network for help as well!

In the end, just remember that entrepreneurs can absolutely benefit from a university education.

You’ll get to the school of life eventually, but it will be much easier to navigate with a college degree!